A. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a testing system and method for copper pair lines, and in particular to a testing system and method for qualifying copper pair lines for IDSL, ADSL, HDSL, SDSL, SHDSL, and VDSL communication usage, as well as all other DSL-type technologies (hereinafter, “xDSL” indicating all the various DSL technologies and line codings).
B. Background
With increasing use and popularity of having computers at home and using them to access the Internet for a wide variety of goods and services, the demand for a communications infrastructure to support the increasing use has risen dramatically. Customers demand both the capability to send and receive large amounts of data, and the speed in performing such data transfers.
Internet access providers, cable communication companies, etc. are constantly working to fill those demands through the installation of fiber-optic and other hi-speed communications lines. However, in many areas of the country, such equipment and the services to support that equipment are either impractical to implement, prohibitively costly, or simply not scheduled to occur in the foreseeable future.
Telephone companies have tried to fill part of the demand by offering Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) services that use the current infrastructure of copper pair lines to deliver hi-speed access to the Internet. The definition of copper pair lines includes any communication line made of copper or other similar material or composition known in the art. Unfortunately, due to limitations in the structure of the copper pair lines and the specifics of the different DSL technologies, xDSL service is not available to all telephone customers. The proper conditions have to exist in order for a copper pair line to handle xDSL communications. The suitability of a copper pair line for xDSL service is dependent on factors such as the length of the telephone line, the number of bridge taps on the line, material defects or shorts in the line, the wire gauge of the line, damage to the lines, proximity of sources of electromagnetic energy, etc.
In order to determine whether copper pair lines are suitable for xDSL service, telephone companies literally have to test the individual copper pair lines. However, using conventional techniques, this process involves sending service technicians to access both ends of a physical line, having one technician transmit a signal at one end of the line, and having the other technician receive the signal at the other end, and then analyzing the received signal. In addition, if a physical line is found to be defective or unsuitable for xDSL service, technicians might have to locate, identify and repair such defects. As one can imagine, this entire process is time consuming, labor intensive and costly.
Therefore, there currently exists a need for a system and method to test copper pair lines that avoids the problems and limitations associated with the current techniques. There also exists a need for a system and method to test copper pair lines that can aid in predicting, analyzing and locating defects in the lines so as to make the repair and qualification of copper pair lines for xDSL service more efficient. Further, there exists a need for a system and method for estimating the structural layout or “plant map” of copper pair lines in order to illustratively determine whether certain copper pair lines are suitable for xDSL service.